Black Ribbon progress

[cleolinda]

ACK, I am stuck on the FIRST SCENE. The first scene of the fourth chapter that is supposed to go up TOMORROW.

Comments

[ambiguousreason.livejournal.com]

i'll chance looking like a moron and ask.
so -- what's black ribbon?

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

There's a link to it on the sidebar--it's this serial I'm writing and was posting each week last October until I got so burnt out, after something like 80 pages, that I put the last two installments off. And tomorrow is exactly one year from the day the fourth installment was supposed to go up, so I'm trying to get it up so we can all pretend it's right on time and all is right with the world. And... yar.

[maggieblue.livejournal.com]

so, i have a really random question. i just don't understand how you find time to do the many show reviews, m15ms, black ribbon, among the seemingly hundreds of other things you do on here, and still have a life. are you just that good with time management? because if so, i'm extremely jealous. i'm the WORST at time management, and i already work 6 days a week and get caught up entertaining the boyfriend. he's a lot of work. and i'm about to start babysitting. i feel like i never really get time to myself, much less to update my LJ anymore.
i want to know how you do it. is there a secret to finding time? or are you just that good?

*sighs* i need some more time.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Trust me, you can stop feeling inadequate right now, because my "secret" is "not having a job." I'm in grad school and basically living at home with my family in mooching poverty, because I figure this is the one time in my life I can be "irresponsible"--I don't have kids, I'm not married, I'm not supporting anyone else, and I can use this time to finish my education and get started on my publishing career. Which sounds really flaky in theory ("I'm writing the Great American Novel!"), so it was a huge relief to actually get a book deal and an agent and be able to say, "See? All of this mooching and not working a 9-to-5 paid off. There was I reason I was doing that, and this is it."

I'm terrible at time management myself, and I actually think I could get a lot more done if I were more disciplined or more energetic or focused or whatever. But people who actually manage to be creative or artistic and have partners, kids, job(s), and busy social lives? Have my undying respect. Because I realized early on that I, personally, was not going to be able to do both, and something was going to have to be set aside. It was just up to me to choose what.

[maggieblue.livejournal.com]

i still feel inadequate. but here's why: i used to fancy myself a writer, as well. i've been writing my whole life, but once i started having to work (to help out my mom...unfortunately, i could never mooch off her, even if i wanted to), writing fell by the wayside. i still carried around a notebook and pen everywhere i went until about four years ago, when i finally just gave up, after i somehow lost the best scene that i had ever written. i just told everyone that i didn't have time anymore.
now...i really want to have at least 2 days off a week and some alone time without the boy so i can focus on writing again. i feel like i'm ready to get back in, but i need some serious quiet time to jump in again. this isn't going to be easy, and my life circumstances are making sure of that.
it's really good that you could take that time and stay at home and write. you did get a book deal out of it, after all. admittedly, i am jealous. i'll just have to try to find a way to sandwich in writing time with everything else i have to do all week.
and i am going to read the first few chapters of black ribbon soon. i also don't have a lot of reading time anymore. *sighs and shakes head*

[takekammuri.livejournal.com]

We love you. We really do. Go Cleo! Smite that scene!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awww! Actually, I think that was exactly what I needed to hear right now. :)

[elbales]

Really?

We love you, Cleo! You are funny, talented, and just generally nifty. So go kick some Black Ribbon ass. Or something.

Yeah.

[aurora-borialis.livejournal.com]

That is a bind... Best wishes and a trip to Starbucks.

Caffiene man's other best friend.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

*sends many writerly vibes your way*

Persevere! It'll all turn out right. Just write your way through to the end. :)

I feel really confident about giving writing advice to a person with a book contract...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh, come on! A contract doesn't mean I'm any better or worse; it just means I've been able to con someone into paying for my scribbling. ;)

[terriem.livejournal.com]

You've written so much great stuff so far, so all I have to say is: It's your story, put it up when you want to and when you're happy with it. Great advice from your friendly local non-deadline meeter. ;)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awww, thanks. My problem is that I'm such a pathological non-deadline meeter that I'm afraid I'd never finish it at all if I didn't impose a crazy artificial deadline. I kinda feel like I can make this one, if the creative juices of desperation kick in soon.